KR100743167B1 - Insulated container, method of fabricating same and apparatus for fabricating - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat-insulating container for hot beverages and the like, wherein the container of the present invention comprises an inner cup having a truncated conical cup body as a whole, an outer shell of a truncated conical shape as a whole, and an inner shell and an outer side of the cup body. Having an insulating plastic coating on at least one side, wherein if the cup is positioned within the shell, the coating extends along at least a contact path near the upper edge of the shell and along the contact path The outer surface of the main body and the inner surface of the shell are in contact with each other.

An object of the present invention is to provide a container having improved heat insulating properties. The object is achieved by at least one bonding spot and / or bonding area which joins the shell to the cup body by means of the plastic coating formed only locally on the contact path.

Drinks, cups, insulation, coatings, contact paths, dot welding

Description

INSULATION CONTAINER, MANUFACTURING METHOD AND MANUFACTURING APPARATUS [INSULATED CONTAINER, METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME AND APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING}

1 is a side view of an insulated container having an inner cup and an outer shell, the side view embodying a first aspect of the present invention;

2 is a bottom view of the container of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the container shown in FIG. 1 in a vertical cross sectional view of the element of the container; FIG.

4 is a detailed vertical cross-sectional view cut away from the shell top of the container of FIG. 1, showing a first stage of container assembly.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing insertion of a cup into a shell; FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a dot welding step of the shell and cup in a subsequent container assembly step; FIG.

7 is a plan view of a corresponding tool or device for vessel and spot welding.

8 is a perspective view of a container covered with the tool of FIG. 7 for performing spot welding according to the invention.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating an insulated container embodying a second aspect of the present invention. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a view of a container of a second embodiment showing a first assembly step in a view similar to FIG. 4; FIG.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 with a container view of the second embodiment in the next assembly step; FIG.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 with a container view of the second embodiment in the next assembly step; FIG.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

1, 2: joint spot or joint area

3: contact path

6: horizontal direction

7: vertical direction

8: circumferential direction

12: inner cup

14: outer shell

22: cup body

15: inner coating

29: truncated conical wall

31: annular shoulder

28: skirt section

34: outward curl

32: annular upper shoulder

The present invention relates generally to a container. The present invention relates, in particular, to insulating containers for hot beverages and the like, to methods of making such containers, and to the apparatus used to make such containers.

Among the containers of the prior art, there are a number of examples with thermal insulation properties that enable them to be used with hot liquids such as coffee, tea, soups and the like. Examples can be found in US-A-2,266,828, US-A-4,007,670, US-A-5,145,107, US-A-5,460,323, US-A-5,524,817, US-A-5,685,480, and USA-6,663,926 and the like. These containers each contain an inner cup and an outer shell separated by an air gap. In recent years, this kind of cup has been made of a thin paperboard coated with an inner surface with a polyurethane resin or the like. Cups and shells are secured with adhesive at critical points in the top and bottom, and in recent years have been secured by hot sealing. The air gap between the cup body and the shell may be maintained by various types of spacers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved thermal insulation container, a method of manufacturing the same, and an apparatus for manufacturing the same, to improve the bonding between the cup and the shell by an improved method of joining in a simple manner.

The above and other objects are realized by a heat insulating container having the features of claim 1, a method for producing a container having the features of claim 10, or a bonding apparatus having the features of claim 15.

The heat-insulating plastic coating of the present invention is formed on at least one of the inner side of the shell or the outer side of the cup body, and after heating the coating, if the cup is placed in the shell, the shell is attached to the cup body by the plastic coating. At least one bonding spot and / or bonding area to bond is locally formed only in the corresponding contact path. The "contact path" is generally a virtual contact path where the outer side of the cup body and the inner side of the shell come into contact when the cup is placed in the shell. However, there is no need for actual contact between the shell and the cup body along the entire perimeter, and the contact path may extend only partially along the periphery, with the junction and / or the joining area within the contact path. Is located. By way of the shell and cup wall being pressed together in at least one of the joining spots and / or the joining regions localized within the contact paths, the contact paths can only be locally formed.

Since the insulating plastic coating is melted prior to inserting the cup into the shell, after the coating has cured, the cup and the shell are bonded at the corresponding bonding spot and / or bonding area.

Naturally, the contact path may be an annular path that completely circulates the cup body and the shell, and may also have some extent of extension in the vertical direction, which means perpendicular to the circumferential direction.

It is sufficient to use only one bonding spot or bonding area so long as the container is not assembled, packaged, or superimposed but not separated from the inner cup during handling. After filling the container with a hot beverage or the like, the inner cup is held in the shell mainly by the weight of the beverage, so that only a very small bonding force needs to be provided to the bonding spot and / or the bonding area.

However, it is also possible, for example, to form a plurality of joints and / or joining regions formed along the contact path while being separated from each other by the non-joint parts of the contact path, thereby more firmly fixing the cup body and the shell. In addition, the joining spots and / or joining regions may be arranged side by side in the contact path, or may be separated from each other in the horizontal direction and / or the vertical direction. This means that a group is formed by a joining spot or a joining area in which a single joining spot or joining area is arranged in the horizontal or vertical direction, for example, arranged in the vertical direction, and then these groups are formed in the horizontal direction or It means that they are arranged side by side in the circumferential direction.

The joining spots and / or joining regions may be irregularly distributed in the circumferential direction. In order to improve the manufacturing method of the container together with the assembly of the container, it may be advantageous to arrange the junction or the junction region regularly.

Insulated vessels have an air gap formed between the cup wall and the shell wall at the bottom of the vessel, and in general the air gap should be maintained as a connection that transmits no heat at all. Thus, it is desirable to form a contact path between the annular top wall of the cup body and the substantially cylindrical top of the shell. A gap is not required in the contact path portion of the container, because the contact path is arranged higher than the height of the beverage to be filled in the container.

It is also possible to place the joining spot and / or joining region directly adjacent the lower edge of the annular upper wall of the cup body, on which an upper shoulder is formed. The gap begins below the upper shoulder.

Various materials may be used for the shell or the cup, and at least one of them may be formed of a suitable plastic material. The cup and / or shell may be formed of paperboard in terms of recycling of resources. In order to at least achieve a sufficient fluid density of the cup, the cardboard for forming the cup is coated with the above-mentioned polyethylene resin or the like. Naturally, the cardboard may also be coated with an insulating plastic coating, where the coating may be formed on the outside of the cup wall, on the inside of the shell wall, or may be arranged on both of these walls.

The shape of the joining spot or joining region may be different. For example, the bonding spots may have a circular, rectangular or other cross sectional shape. The junction region may have the form of a short stripe, wherein the stripe may be arranged in a horizontal direction or may be inclined with respect to the outer circumferential direction.

In order to melt the plastic coating, it is sufficient to locally heat the plastic coating, but for example all of the plastic coating as an annular strip may be heated.

In order to obtain sufficient force to press the cup wall and the shell wall together until the insulating plastic coating is recured, an annular first member having at least one radially displaceable or protruding pressing member may be placed in the cup body. The pressing member may form one or more joining spots and / or joining regions by pressing an external second member to press together the wall and shell of the cup body by both members. As a matter of course, the pressing member may be part of an external second member, and these pressing members may be formed on both the inner and outer members.

This pressing member also avoids direct contact with some of the walls of the container and, for example, as they deform from the inside to an annular and flexible ring, the deformed portion of the outside of the ring is different. The wall of the cup body and the shell may be pressed in cooperation with the member.

The apparatus for joining the outer shell and the inner cup to form an insulated container for hot beverages or the like comprises a first member arranged in the inner cup, and concentric with the first member as a whole and on the outside of the outer shell. At least one radially protruding or moving to align the second member to be arranged and the opposing shell and cup walls together to form one or more joining spots and / or joining regions along the outer periphery of the shell and cup It is possible to provide a pressing member.

The first member may be an annular ring or disk inserted into the cup body. The annular ring or disk may support the corresponding pressing member (s) to enable them to move in the radial direction.

A simple embodiment of such a movable pressing member is a plunger movably supported by the first and / or second member.

In order to obtain a uniformly distributed joining spot or joining region, a plurality of radially movable pressing members are also uniformly distributed along the outer circumference of the first or second member.

In order to arrange the shell before inserting the cup body, the device of the present invention preferably has a receiving member having at least a skirt portion and an upper flange used for holding the shell.

Further, in order to use the receiving member as the second or outer member, the pressing counter extension may be extended substantially in the vertical direction from the upper flange of the receiving member. Thus, the movable pressing member can be part of the first or annular member, and also eliminates the need for a second and separate member at all.

It is also possible to use a receiving member to hold the cup body in a predetermined position, which can be realized by the upper end of the pressing counter-extension which is used as a seat of the outward curl of the cup body.

The invention, including the construction of the container, its manufacturing method, and its manufacturing apparatus, is illustrated in the drawings in more detail or in a simplified manner.

Referring to the drawings, in particular to FIGS. 1 to 3, a hot beverage container embodying the features of the first aspect of the invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The container comprises an inner cup 12 and an outer shell 14 stacked together and are spot bonded to each other in accordance with the present invention.

According to FIG. 3 the inner cup 12 comprises a cup body 22 and a cup bottom 24 which are formed separately by paperboard in a conventional manner. Prior to manufacture, one side of the cardboard is coated with an insulating plastic material such as polyethylene. The assembled cup 12 thus has an inner coating 15 formed of polyethylene over all or part of its inner side.

The truncated conical wall 29 of the cup body 22 has an annular shoulder 31 formed inward from the cup bottom 24 vicinity. The annular shoulder 31 acts as a stop for the other cups which are placed on top when the cups are stacked.

The cup bottom 24 is positioned in the cup body 22 in the manner shown. The lower edge portion 26 of the truncated conical wall 29 is folded inwardly and upwardly to fix the annular skirt portion 28 extending below the cup bottom 24.

The cup body 22 also has an annular upper shoulder 32 formed outwardly at its truncated conical wall 29 with a distance of at least 5 mm downward from an outward curl 34 forming the upper edge of the body. Have. Between the shoulder portion 32 and the curl portion 34, an upper wall portion 37 having an annular outer surface 38 is arranged with the lower portion 39 of the outer surface at the edge 41 of the shoulder portion ( 5, the edge functions as a joining spot or joining region 1 or 2 to which the annular inner surface of the shell 14 is joined in a manner described below.

The outer shell 14 is truncated conical like the wall 29 of the cup. The shell 14 is formed of cardboard with an inner coating 42 formed of a heat insulating plastic material. The inner coating may be present throughout the shell 14, or only in the bonding area or spot along the corresponding contact path 3 (see FIG. 7). The shell 14 has an inward curl 44 (see FIG. 3) formed on its lower edge, which cup above the bottom of the cup 12 at a distance approximately corresponding to the height of the cup bottom 24. It is engaged with the outer surface 4 of the wall 29 of the main body.

The annular upper edge 9 or 51 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) of the shell 14 is directly adjacent to the curl 34 of the cup body 22 and may also contact the curl from below. The shell 14 extends from here downward to a narrow and annular surface, which annular surface is at least partially above the lower edge 41 of the shoulder 32 at least partially at the top wall 37 and the annular outer surface ( 38) is the surface in contact.

The insulating plastic inner coating 42 of the shell 14 is locally melted prior to assembling the cup 12 and the shell 14. After assembly, the shell 14 is thermally bonded at one or more bonding spots or bonding regions 1, 2 (see FIG. 5), for example, shown as spot junction 53 in FIG. 6. At the spot junction, adjacent to the shoulder 32 or the lower edge 41 of the cup body, ie at a distance of about 5 mm from the curl 34, to the annular outer surface 38. In the present invention, three annular and evenly spaced spot joints 53 are used, but the spot joints may be as few as one or as many as three or more, and when using one or more spot joints, they are not uniform. May be spaced apart.

In addition, a number of such joining spots or joining regions may be arranged on top of each other in the vertical direction 7 (see FIG. 3), or in the horizontal direction 6, or in the circumferential direction 8 (see FIG. 2). It may be.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-8, the vessel 10 is manufactured according to the following steps.

A shell 14 is produced by molding a cardboard, optionally coated with an insulating plastic material, such as polyethylene, around a truncated conical mandrel.

The shell is then removed from the mandrel and the shell placed inside the receiving device or receiving member 20 (see FIG. 4) of the corresponding shape. The receiving member 20 has a truncated conical skirt portion 21 (see FIG. 5) in contact with the outer surface of the shell wall 16. At the top of the skirt portion 21, the receiving member 20 has an upper flange 23 extending radially outward.

In the next step, an annular heating element is placed inside the shell 14 and the polyetherylene coating strip is heated to the melting point.

Thereafter, the preassembled cup 12 is sucked into the shell until the annular outer periphery of the upper shoulder 32 of the cup is positioned in the strip of molten shell along the contact path 3 (see FIG. 7). Pull it out.

Thereafter, the annular disk 17 as the first member of the apparatus 11 for manufacturing the container 10 is located inside the cup body 22 and also on the upper shoulder 32 the inner side of the cup body. To fit snugly (see, eg, FIGS. 5-8).

Thereafter, around the shell 14 at the level of the molten strip, the annular ring 18 as the second member of the manufacturing apparatus 11 incorporating three radially extendable plungers as the pressing member 19. ) And extend the plunger to press together, for example, until the shell and cup walls are joined at, for example, three spot joints 53 or joint spots 1 or joint regions 2, respectively. See, FIG. 6). In the present invention, such spot welds will be referred to as dot welds (see also FIGS. 7 and 8).

Thereafter, the disk and the ring are removed, and the assembled container is discharged from the receiving member 20.

According to FIG. 5, the upper wall 37 does not need to be in contact with the entire upper end of the shell wall 16, and a small gap may be provided between them just below the outward curl 34. Corresponding joining spots, for example, by pressing together the first member 17 and the second member 18 along only the contact path 3 (see FIG. 7) arranged adjacent to the upper annular shoulder 32. Alternatively, joining regions may be formed (see FIGS. 6 and 7).

In FIG. 8, as in FIG. 7, a ring-shaped second member 18 with a plunger 19 is shown, wherein the second member is of the upper flange 23 of the receiving member 20. It is arrange | positioned between the upper surface and the lower end of the outward curl part 34 (refer FIG. 5 and FIG. 6).

In addition, in FIG. 7, the corresponding plunger as the pressing member 19 is uniformly distributed along the outer circumferential direction 8 around the container 10, and three joining spots or joining regions are formed. The pressing member 19 is movable in the displacement direction 45.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-12, it can be seen that a container embodying the features of the second embodiment of the present invention in various stages of assembly is indicated generally by reference numeral 10. The vessel 10 is identical except for one feature when compared to the vessel described above. The cup 12 of the container is the same as the cup described above, but the shell 14 has a short cylindrical portion 50 formed at its upper end. The cylindrical portion 50 of the shell 14 is positioned to be flush with the outer surface of the upper wall portion 37 (see also the previous figures). The cup 12 and the shell 14 are one or the same as the bonding spot 1 or the bonding area 2 around the corresponding position in the cup 10, ie around the shoulder 32 immediately adjacent the lower edge 41. The above-mentioned spot joining portions 53 are spot joined together. Although the cylindrical portion 50 is positioned to be the same height as the cup 12 above the shoulder portion 32, the cylindrical portion 50 is not joined to the cup body on the ring of the spot joint 53, It will also be appreciated that the spot joints or spot welds 53 are separated from each other by the non-junctions of the corresponding contact paths 3.

In addition, the receiving member 20 of the second embodiment is integrally formed with the second member 18 formed by the pressing counter extension portion 25 extending vertically from the upper surface of the upper flange 23 of the receiving member 20. It differs from the first embodiment in that it is. The upper end 27 of the extension 25 contacts the cylindrical portion 50 from the bottom.

The cup 10 is manufactured according to the present invention in the following steps.

A shell is produced by molding a cardboard, optionally coated with an insulating plastic material, such as polyethylene, around a truncated conical mandrel with a circular cylinder on top.

The shell 14 is then removed from the mandrel and the shell is positioned inside the receiving member 20 of the corresponding shape (see FIG. 10).

Place the annular heating element inside the shell 14 and also heat the polyether coating strip to the melting point.

Thereafter, the preassembled cup 12 is pulled by suction into the shell 14 until the annular outer periphery of the shoulder 32 of the cup body is positioned in the molten strip of the shell (FIG. 11). Reference).

Thereafter, an annular ring (see FIG. 12) as a first member 17 incorporating three radially extendable plungers, for example as a pressing member 19, is provided at the height of the cup body 22. ) And also extend the plunger so that, for example, at the three point or spot joints 53 (see FIG. 12), the outer receiving member 20, in particular the corresponding pressing counterpart, is joined until they are joined together. The shell and cup walls are pressed against the extension 25.

The ring as the first member 17 is then removed and the container 10 is discharged from the receiving member 20.

Embodiments of the container of the present invention described above are bonded to the outer surface of the cup 12 by heat and pressure at a plurality of spot junctions 53, which may each be a junction spot 1 or a junction region 2, respectively. It is characterized by having a heat insulating plastic coating on the inner surface of the shell 14 of the container. The spot junctions extend around and between these components. These spot joints are arranged in an annular path (see contact path 3) adjacent to the bottom edge of the upper wall portion 37 of the cup body or the upper cylindrical portion 50 of the shell 14. The container of any embodiment may be made by forming a thermally applied thermally insulating plastic bonding material locally on the outer side of the cup body at the top wall 37 without departing from the present invention. In this case, of course, the bonding material must be heated from outside the cup before the cup is inserted into the shell.

According to the present invention, the insulating container with improved bonding between the cup and the shell is provided by at least one bonding spot and / or bonding area for bonding the shell to the cup body by a plastic coating formed only locally on the contact path. The manufacturing method, and its manufacturing apparatus are provided.

Claims (21)

As an insulated container 10 for hot drinks, etc., a) an inner cup 12 having a frusto-conical cup body 22, b) truncated conical outer shell 14, and c) with an insulating plastic coating 42 on the inner side of the shell 14 or the outer side of the cup body 22 or both, d) the cup 12 is located in the shell 14 and the coating 42 extends along the contact path 3 near the upper edge 9 of the shell 14 and deflects the contact path. Therefore, in the heat insulating container for hot beverages and the like, in which the outer surface of the cup body 22 and the inner surface of the shell 14 are in contact, One or more bonding spots 1 or bonding areas 2 for bonding the shell 14 to the cup body 22 are only in the contact path 3 by the plastic coating 42. Formed locally, A plurality of joining spots 1 or joining regions 2 are formed along the contact paths 3, and the plurality of joining spots 1 or joining regions 2 are joined to each other by non-joints in the contact paths. An insulated container, which is separated. The method of claim 1, Insulation container, characterized in that the contact path (3) is an annular path (annular path). delete The method according to claim 1 or 2, The heat insulating container, characterized in that the joining spots (1) or joining regions (2) are arranged side by side and are separated from each other in the horizontal direction (6) or the vertical direction (7) in the contact path (3). The method according to claim 1 or 2, The said insulating spot (1) or the junction area | region (2) is uniformly distributed in the outer peripheral direction (8) of the said contact path (3), The heat insulation container characterized by the above-mentioned. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Insulating container, characterized in that the contact path (3) is formed by circulating the entire outer circumference of the cup body (22) and the shell (14). The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the contact path (3) is formed between the annular upper wall portion (37) of the cup body (22) and the upper cylindrical portion (50) of the shell (14). The method according to claim 1 or 2, The joining spot 1 or joining region 2 is arranged immediately adjacent to the lower edge 41 of the annular upper wall portion 37 of the cup body 22 on which the upper shoulder portion 32 is formed. Insulation container characterized by the above-mentioned. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Insulation container for hot beverages or the like, characterized in that the cup body (22) or shell (14) is formed of a paperboard coated with a heat insulating plastic coating (42). In the method of manufacturing a heat insulation container for hot drinks, etc., a) shaping the shell 14 which is truncated conical, b) heating the insulating plastic coating 42 formed on the inner side of the shell 14 or the outer side of the truncated conical cup 12 or both to its melting point, c) inserting the cup 12 into the shell 14 until the outer surface of the cup 12 is located in the molten plastic along the contact path 3; d) pressing together the shell wall 16 and the cup wall 29 at one or more joining spots 1 or joining regions 2 locally present in the contact path 3, The shell wall 16 and the cup wall 29 are pressed together to form a plurality of joining spots 1 or joining regions 2 for locally joining the shell to the cup, and the joining spots or joining regions The manufacturing method of the heat insulation container separated from each other by the non-bonded part along this said contact path (3). delete The method of claim 10, The plastic coating (42) is an annular strip, wherein the annular strip is heated in its entirety. The method of claim 10, Wherein said annular strip (42) is heated only in part, and that portion of said heated annular strip forms or at least comprises said joining spot (1) or joining region (2). The method of claim 10, Inside the cup body 22 is an annular member or first member 17 having at least one radially displaceable or protruding pressing member 19, wherein the pressing member 19 is an outer member or article. One or more joining spots 1 or joining regions (1) are pressed by pressing the two members 18 to force the cup wall 29 and the shell wall 16 together by the first and second members. 2) is formed, the manufacturing method of a heat insulation container. In the manufacturing apparatus 11 for joining the outer shell 14 to the inner cup 12 to produce a heat insulating container 10 for hot drinks or the like, a) a first member 17 arranged in the inner cup 12, b) a second member 18 concentric with the first member 17 and arranged outside the outer shell 14; c) one or more radially protruding or movable pressing members for pressing the opposing shell walls 16 and the cup walls 29 together to form joining spots 1 or joining regions 2 along their periphery; (19), The manufacturing apparatus of the heat insulation container characterized by the above-mentioned. The method of claim 15, The first member (17) is an apparatus for producing an insulated container, characterized in that the annular ring (ring) or disk (disk). The method according to claim 15 or 16, The radially movable pressing member (19) is a plunger supported by the first member (17) or the second member (18) so as to be plunger. The method according to claim 15 or 16, The pressing member (19) movable in the radial direction is arranged along the outer circumference of the first member (17) or the second member (18) and distributed uniformly. The method according to claim 15 or 16, And an accommodating member (20) having a skirt portion (21) and an upper flange (23) used for holding said shell (14). The method of claim 19, Apparatus for producing a heat insulation container, characterized in that a counter pressing extension (25) as the second member (18) extends from the upper flange (23) in the vertical direction (7). The method of claim 20, The upper end (27) of the pressure counter extension (25) is used as a seat (seat) of the outward curl (curl) 34 of the cup body (22).

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